Archive for the ‘Pro-Life’ Category

Uppermost in our hearts and prayers today should be the reality that America is in God’s hands. In a few hours we will know the outcome of this election.

Last week during the furor and fray of the election, while praying that division and damage would not permanently mar relationships between family members, church members, friends, co-workers and communities, I clearly “heard” these words: “Brace yourselves.” Prayerfully, as we continue to pray for the best we are preparing for the outcome, come what may.

As I write this report, I’m getting flashbacks from earth’s heroes, military captains and even starship commanders from many favorite films; all saying: “Prepare for impact!”

Now it’s almost as if I can hear my grandfather Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr.’s sermon as he assured us during the 20th century Civil Rights Movement that God would be with us, even as we were “Coming in on Broken Pieces.”

“…Some on boards… some on broken pieces… So it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.” Acts 27:44 (KJV)

Finally, let’s be encouraged by the words of Apostle Paul as he was inspired by God’s Holy Spirit in Colossians 1:20-29 (MSG):

“… The broken and dislocated pieces of the universe … get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his [Jesus Christ's] death, his blood that poured down from the Cross… Don’t walk away from a gift like that! …Stay grounded… not …distracted or diverted… There’s a lot of suffering to be entered into in this world – the kind of suffering Christ takes on… This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time… now it’s out in the open. God wanted everyone… to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you; therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory… That is the substance of our Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less.”

NEW YORK — On the final day of what seemed like the longest and most acrimonious election season in history, Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, and Alveda King, director of Civil Rights for the Unborn for Priests for Life, urged voters to get themselves, and as many others as possible, to the polls for today’s election.

“Today we are voting on the direction our nation will take for the next generation,” said Father Pavone. “This election can go either way, and I urge every voter to use his or her vote to advance the culture of life, as our bishops have urged us.”

Father Pavone noted that exit polls can be interesting but are not necessarily accurate.

“No voter should be swayed one way or another by an exit poll suggesting their candidate will win or lose,” he said. “Democracy only works when we participate and are undeterred.”

Evangelist King noted that the lives of millions of unborn children both here and abroad are at stake.

“A pro-abortion candidate will immediately move to fund abortion overseas and will try to eliminate the law that keeps taxpayers from having to fund abortion,” she said. “Euthanasia proponents also will be empowered to spread their toxic ideology. But pro-lifers have a chance, at the polls, to protect Americans from the womb to the tomb.”

On behalf of the entire Priests for Life Pastoral Team, Father Pavone and Ms. King urged voters to “Be a voice, not an echo. Vote pro-life now. And join us today in praying for our nation at www.ElectionPrayer.com.”

Priests for Life is the nation’s largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit www.priestsforlife.org.

“Choose for your tribes wise, understanding, and experienced [leaders] men, and I will appoint them as your heads.” Deuteronomy 1:13

Dear Brothers and Sisters, you are in our prayers at Civil Rights For The Unborn. In regards to your many inquiries regarding your important choice for voting this year, here are some links for your attention. There’s more information available at Priests for Life and Civil Rights for the Unborn. Please review and sign our open letter!

As you know, it’s so important that we always embrace the sanctity of life. One way to do that is to vote Prolife in every election.

“Give us the ballot and we will no longer have to worry the federal government about our basic rights …
“Give us the ballot and we will no longer plead to the federal government for passage of an anti-lynching law …
“Give us the ballot and we will fill our legislative halls with men of good will …
“Give us the ballot and we will place judges on the benches of the South who will do justly and love mercy …
“Give us the ballot and we will quietly and nonviolently, without rancor or bitterness, implement the Supreme Court’s decision of May 17, 1954.” — Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!” Deuteronomy 30:19

NEW YORK – In these crucial last days leading up to Election Day on Nov. 8, EWTN has invited Priests for Life full-time Pastoral Associate Father Stephen Imbarrato to celebrate its televised morning Mass. The mass is broadcast worldwide on television, radio and internet (EWTN.com), in English and Spanish. In the United States alone, the television broadcast reaches some 95 million homes.

Father Imbarrato’s full schedule for these Masses is as follows:

Monday, October 24; Tuesday, October 25; Wednesday, October 26; Thursday, October 27; Monday, October 31; Thursday, November 3; Friday, November 4; Sunday, November 6; Monday, November 7; and Election Day, Tuesday, November 8.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Do the U.S. government and the Supreme Court have the authority to permit the killing of a baby?

That was the question Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, asked during a press conference yesterday at the National Press Club here.

During the event – titled Elections 2016: Moving to Higher Ground – Father Pavone was flanked by Catholic priests and a deacon as he stressed the moral imperative of voting, and voting for life.

“We are in the midst of a critically important election cycle,” Father Pavone said. “Voting is not only a right, it’s an obligation. It’s part of the responsibility that citizens have for the common good.”

In 2007, during the Presidential elections of the United States, I endorsed my last candidate, Governor Sam Brownback. When he left the campaign, I was about to endorse another candidate, Governor Mike Huckabee. Just as I was about to press the “send” button on the release, I was impressed to read my Bible. During those moments, it was as if God was speaking to my heart. “Stop endorsing, and start praying.”

Having been elected to office in the Georgia House of Representatives during the 1970’s and 1980’s, I understood the importance of political endorsements. I still do. So, for many years, especially since the time that God impressed me to pray for all candidates, and vote for the platforms that are closest to my heart and His Word, I have been voting prolife and pro-America. Messages like the sanctity of life, reconciliation of the one blood, the one human race; the sanctity of procreative monogamous; social economic justice; equal education rights; constitutional rights, and so much more continues to resonate in my heart as I prepare to vote.

This year, during this important election, with a clear conscience, I am honoring my commitment to God to spend more time in prayer, rather than endorsing any candidates. Some are texting and posting that this is lack of courage. Believe me, it takes quite a bit of courage to stand up to the pressure of not endorsing, even to the point of being called a coward. However, I still love everyone, and I still love America.

Pastor Bates and I have something in common; he took his daughter to her first protest, my daddy Rev. A. D. King took me to mine; The Children’s March in Birmingham, Alabama. I have been peacefully protesting every since.

I pledge allegiance to the Kingdom of God, with a burning desire to be that city/nation on a hill, shining light to the world. I sing our National Anthem with gratitude, believing for that day when we can truly be one nation under God. May God bless us all!

This Presidential election, many are saying they will vote for the “lesser of two evils”. Won’t it be better to vote for “what’s good for America?” Voting on the issues trumps evil hearts and personalities.

A colleague writes:

“We hear the phrase: ‘lesser of two evils’ a lot…This year, we have witnessed much voting hand-wringing with many people of faith claiming that it is evil to ever vote for “the lesser of two evils”, or for any evil at all. I have concluded that this lesser of two evils phrase is really a canard; a false picture of the electoral choice. Yes, we should never ever vote for evil; only for good. Hence, in a binary election, we should only vote for the good. As for both candidates’ appearing to be evil, remember that all of us are a mix of good and evil.” (Jeremiah 17:9 NLT)

So, let’s overlook personal personality preferences; vote for the candidate with the greater potential to deliver on the issues most closely aligned with our faith and what is good for America.

This choice may be uncomfortable. But remember, we’re trusting God’s wisdom instead of a human candidate. (Proverbs 3:5-8)

For me, it’s sanctity of human life, procreation, racial justice, economic growth and stability, a positive work ethic, good health, safe borders, domestic harmony, good jobs, sustainable values based education, family stability, and a God guided U. S. Supreme Court; all biblical. Even the building of the wall; it’s not a first! Ezra and Nehemiah did that.

Walls aren’t evil; it’s the intent that’s important. If the walls protect the citizens and yet have gates of legal entry to those in need, or desirous of becoming U. S. citizens, such walls aren’t evil.

Note that in Nehemiah’s day, the people had a mind to work. Handouts and entitlements weren’t on the agenda. (Nehemiah 4:6 ASV)

Let’s pray and act now, and return to God; if not for ourselves, then for future generations.

Finally, let’s agree with Daniel in prayer:

“Oh Lord our God, “lean down and listen to [us]. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how [much of America] lies in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy. O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.””

“Of course pray for everybody… [but] we can’t be, again, politically correct and say we pray for all of our leaders, because all of your [political] leaders are selling Christianity down the tubes, selling the evangelicals down the tubes. And it’s a very, very bad thing that’s happening.” Donald Trump

“Don’t pray to be politically correct. Pray to be spiritually correct.” Alveda King

Yesterday, sitting among 1,000 Judeo-Christian apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, all spiritual leaders in America at a “Conversation with Donald Trump and Ben Carson” and emceed by Mike Huckabee, I heard Donald Trump say “pray for everybody” but “don’t be politically correct.”

Since the meeting was closed to media reporting, we need to understand that information can only trickle out through the biased perspectives of the attendees, me included.

If we are completely honest, we can agree that the main, number one issue of concern presented to Mr. Trump by the body as a whole was religious liberty. Mr. Trump assured the attendees that protecting religious liberty is a primary concern for him and is at the top of his to do list.

He further promised to appoint Prolife Supreme Court justices. He promised that “America will be free to say Merry Christmas” again. He promised economic justice as a means of lessening the bands of racism. He promised safe borders for America. He promised to strengthen our military to protect our nation. He gave God the credit for giving him intelligent children. So sorry you couldn’t be there to hear all of this.

At no time did Mr. Trump advise that Americans need to disobey the Bible. Those words did not come out of his mouth.

Looking forward, the estimated 1,000 leaders in the room have platforms that impact millions of Americans. Now our challenge is to now turn away from railing at each other and the candidates and truly obey the Bible ourselves.

Please join me now in praying for Mr. Trump, Mrs. Clinton, all congressional, gubernatorial, state, county and local candidates, that God will, according to Romans 13 and 1 Timothy 2:2 bless us so that America can have peace and prosperity.

NEW YORK — Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, has welcomed the news this morning from Pope Francis that he is establishing a new Pontifical Council for Laity, Family, and Life.

“Pontifical Councils” are a particular type of Vatican office that assists the work of the Holy Father and the Catholic Church around the world on particular themes of importance to the Church’s ministry.

Already in existence are the Pontifical Council for the Family and the Pontifical Council for the Laity. The new Pontifical Council combines these two. It also indicates that there will be a special connection between the new Pontifical Council and the already existing Pontifical Academy for Life, which addresses life issues from an academic perspective.

Fr. Frank Pavone was an official in the late 1990′s at the Pontifical Council for the Family, which fosters initiatives in the defense and pastoral care of the family and of the sanctity of human life. He was also appointed to be a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life in 2010.

“I believe this new step of the Holy Father, in accordance with the advice he has received from his Cardinals, will strengthen the Church’s efforts to defend life and family at a time when these are more important than ever,” Fr. Pavone stated. “In particular, this step elevates and emphasizes the importance of defending life from evils like abortion. Whereas the Pontifical Council for the Family, where I served, was entrusted with fostering initiatives to protect human life from abortion, that role, in this new Pontifical Council, is now explicitly referenced in its title and is given its own “Section,” that is, an official division of the office, headed by an “Under-Secretary.” I know both from my own experience in working at the Pontifical Council for the Family and from my experience heading a worldwide pro-life ministry that has regular interaction with the Vatican that this structural change will make it possible for pro-life groups to have even more effective interaction with the Church on the global level, and for there to be even more mutual encouragement in the urgent task of defending what Pope Saint John Paul II called “the first of the fundamental rights, the right to life” (Evangelium Vitae, 20). We look forward to working with this new Vatican office.”

Priests for Life is the nation’s largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit www.priestsforlife.org.

NEW YORK – Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, praised the Kansas legislature for two pro-life measures that it has passed and sent to the desk of Governor Brownback. One measure would prohibit midwives from performing abortions, the other would make permanent an annual budget provision that ensures state family planning funds be given to entities that do not perform abortions.

“Governor Brownback, a longtime friend of Priests for Life, is committed to enacting pro-life legislation. This is why Priests for Life and the National Pro-life Religious Council recently honored him with our Pro-life Recognition Award on the day of the national March for Life in Washington,” Fr. Pavone explained. “We are delighted that these measures are going to him.”

“The abortion industry is already highly unregulated and unscrupulous,” said Fr. Pavone. “Any legislation that prohibits this industry from sliding into even lower standards is urgently needed. And as far as funding is concerned, family planning funds should be directed to helping family members, not killing them.”

Priests for Life is the nation’s largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit www.priestsforlife.org.